Minnesota Vikings Kick Mascot to the Curb After He Demands $20k Per Game

If you've ever been to a Minnesota Vikings game in Minneapolis, you've definitely seen Ragnar the longtime Vikings mascot.

Now if you make to a Vikings game, you will no longer see Ragnar as he is no longer the mascot of the Minnesota Vikings.

Ragnar's real name is Joe Juranitch, who is a Minnesota native and has been the unofficial human mascot since 1994 after winning a contest.

He also made it a staple to enter using his motorcycle and was known for interacting constantly with fans throughout the game.

He ended up posting a picture of himself on Facebook and wrote this according to ESPN.com

"It doesn't feel right sitting at home. This is not by my choice...I don't make those decisions..At this point it was made for me. I miss all my fans and your support ...let's all stay positive as we move forward."

According to the same ESPN.com report, his contract ran out this past year and the two parties couldn't come to an agreement.

Apparently, Juranitch wanted to receive $20,000 per game instead of his $1,500 that he had been receiving as an independent contractor.

The Minnesota Vikings issued this statement on the situation:

"This offseason, Joe Juranitch's (Ragnar) contract with the Vikings expired. Since then the team has had multiple conversations with Joe but has not been able to reach an agreement on his role with the team moving forward.

The Vikings greatly appreciate what Ragnar has meant to the organization and to the fans over the last two decades. We intend to honor his 21 seasons on the field during a 2015 Vikings home game and we will welcome him to future ceremonial events. We will always consider Ragnar an important part of Vikings history."

We'll see if the fan support that is rolling in on Ragnar's Facebook page prompts an agreement between the two parties.